Students searching for rented accommodation have been warned not to pay more rent than they have to and not to sign longer leases than necessary.

The warning comes from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), which publishes a rent index on its website every three months, giving the going monthly rents for a variety of types of accommodation.

It is compiled by the Economic and Social Research Institute using the PRTB’s database of 277,000 tenancies and is designed to give potential new tenants information about the actual rents being paid.

According to the index, the going monthly rent for a two-bed apartment in the first quarter of this year was €553.12 per month in Carlow, €868.25 in Cork city, €940.02 in Santry, Dublin 9 and €791 in Galway.

The index is based on figures from the first quarter of the year. Rents have increased since the figures were gathered in some urban areas, but have either remained static or decreased in others.

AdviceThe board has also published advice aimed specifically at students renting for the first time, including on how to protect deposits and tenants’ rights and responsibilities.

PRTB director Anne Marie Caulfield said students should be careful about those with whom they choose to share accommodation. “You could be held jointly responsible for rent owing by your flatmates or for damage to the property caused by them,” she said. “Also, get the landlord’s name, address and phone number in case of emergencies – you’re entitled to that. Importantly, do not sign up to a 12-month lease if you will only be staying for a nine-month academic year.”